Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 741 Threads: 8
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Location: N W Kent
28-08-2017, 04:35 PM
(This post was last modified: 28-08-2017, 04:39 PM by Stuart Giles.)
The pins have the differential planet wheels on them -3 on each side of the diff. The halfshafts have the sun wheel as part of the end of the halfshaft -that's why they won't simply slide out. So you need to pull the whole diff unit out of the case with both halfshafts still in place, then undo the 6 nuts that are on the other end of those 6 bolts and the differential can be split into 2 halves (make sure there is a mark on the diff perimeter to allow you to "clock" the halves back in the same place). Then you can slide out the halfshafts across the inside of the diff.
Joined: Mar 2015 Posts: 5,194 Threads: 223
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Location: Scotchland
Ian,
you can use the the differential adjuster on the other side to push the whole unit out, wind it in towards the centre of the axle. A little heat around the outside, in line with the side thrust bearing may help it along the way...
Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 2,748 Threads: 31
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Location: Auckland, NZ
The whole axles and diff gear assembly is being retained by the fit of the other side bearing in the main casing half. A bit of bumping should dislodge. The adjuster in that half determines the cw mesh and is a datum. Any difference in gasket thickness is accommodated by adjusting the one in side removed. Unless very carefully record the setting, If you alter the other adjuster you are off on the path of mesh adjustment which can be a saga, esp as you do not know what patterns looked like and therefore what can be acheived.
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Location: Scotchland
28-08-2017, 09:01 PM
(This post was last modified: 28-08-2017, 09:13 PM by Ruairidh Dunford.)
I have done this many times, resetting side adjustment is normal (prudent if you are replacing the side bearings) and not complicated. Often the outer race of the thrust bearing can remain fast in the axle tube - I notice the nearside bearing has already come apart, is the outer race of that jammed in the tube?
If you are unsure or (now unnecessarily) worried about any of this Ian, you are very welcome to ring me on 01419428037 and I can explain exactly how I do it.
Joined: Mar 2015 Posts: 5,194 Threads: 223
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Location: Scotchland
If Zetomagneto is correct you have will owe him a pint or three.
One other thing that came to mind when I was chatting with a friend earlier Ian - we suggest changing the diff oil seals to modern lip seals when stripping down this far.
The original felt ones dry out and don't work, particularly when a car has been off the road for some time - you mentioned yours had not been used for a long period I think.
Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 8 Threads: 3
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Location: Sunny donny
Thanks for all the info, no I didn't forget to undo the nut.Have got it all apart with the judicious use of force the offside bearing has come out cleanly and as was pointed out the near side one has come apart so I will probably replace it.
Now the only problem is that the new half shaft does not run cleanly on the gears( tried it both sides) and it appears that the gears are fractionally less deep than the originals( by about 0.4mm) whether it is this or some other problem causing the poor meshing I am not sure.
I may risk asking my Engineer son to look and probably get a long suffering sigh !.
Apart from that I have contacted the supplier and I can swap it for another but I will take the diff unit with me so I can offer it up and check it runs smoothly but I haven't got time to do that for a couple of weeks.
